I’m aware that many opponents of Trump have given up on ever having a reasoned debate with Trump supporters.
Still, with every new incident from this White House, I find myself in disbelief, and wanting to ask Trump supporters questions to better understand their underlying premises.
Such as:
Do you see value in our alliances with other Western countries? If so, do you think it’s in our interest to insult other Western leaders?
Do you think that any president has the constitutional right to do whatever he or she wants? Under what circumstances should a president be impeached?
If a large number of officials chosen by the president leave the White House on bad terms, what do you make of that?
etc. etc.
I live abroad and so have rarely spoken to Trump supporters, much less had in-depth political discussions with them.
So…
Trump opponents - What are the most incisive questions you’ve posed to Trump supporters (in person, not online)? What were the most revealing answers you got?
This reminds me of a Yahoo article that I couldn’t stop myself commenting on. A Trump supporter took exception to my saying Social Security is an entitlement – after I’d posted the definition from the Senate website that specifically states Social Security is an entitlement.
Not exactly a sharp question, but I’ve asked Trump supporters whether they would want their teen-aged daughters alone in a room with Trump.
Not surprisingly, they have no problem with their daughters being alone with Trump–stories about pussy-grabbing and Miss Teen USA dressing rooms are Fake News! It’s the Democrats like Bill Clinton and Obama they would be worried about.
OK, Clinton is a hound dog but I don’t see him taking interest in teen-aged girls the way Trump does. And isn’t Obama supposed to be gay because Michelle is really a man? They were OK with Carter though, because he’s really old and teaches Sunday school.
Best way I’ve found to rattle Trump supporters is to ask a combination of questions in the following format:
Me: “What do you think about <INSERT OBVIOUSLY ILLEGAL/IMMORAL THING TRUMP BLATANTLY DID>“
Them: “It’s no big deal”.
Me: “Would you say that if Obama had done it?”
Them (awkward pause): ”Uhh…sure.”
Me: “LOL! Like hell you would’ve. Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit!”.
I like this approach because they know I’m right. They can deny it all they want, but Trump does at least one thing every week that would’ve torpedoed Obama’s Presidency and they know it. They know they’re lying to themselves, and as a general rule most people don’t like doing that. You may not be able to change their minds, but you can at least bring them down a bit for a few minutes
I’ve never asked a sharp question of a Trump supporter I’ve known in real life. The last time I remember asking a sharp question of a conservative was before the 2016 election cycle but I’m pretty sure the guy’s now a Trumpista since other conservatives thought he was pretty nuts. He was ranting about the “World Trade Center Mosque”. Ignoring that it wasn’t at the WTC and only part of it was to be used as a worship center and only a small minority of Westerners approve of terrorism, I asked him “so, how far away from the WTC would a mosque be acceptable?” and he just stared blankly at me and refused to answer.
This one has caused a fair amount of cognitive dissonance:
“President Trump promised he would release his tax returns if he was elected. Do you believe he should keep his promise?”
Usually this gets me a bunch of responses about how presidents aren’t required to release their tax returns, at which point I point out that I didn’t say he was required to release them, only that he had promised to do so, and then repeat the question. No one has actually answered the question yet.
